RPAFD Project Overview

A global research network striving to explore the legal and financial implications of the financial distress of a local authority, with a view of providing principled recommendations for the mitigation of any adverse consequences on local communities.

The Research Network on Public Authorities and Financial Distress (RPAFD) is a multi-disciplinary, multi-sectorial network of more than 60 academics and practitioners, lawyers, economists, accountants and experts from other disciplines based all over the world with a common interest on local authorities in financial distress.

RPAFD promotes the development of comparative and iterative research based on concrete case studies. Its goal is to suggest policy recommendations to alleviate the consequences of financial distress for local communities. Generally accepted and/or acceptable principles will inform these policy recommendations and will provide guidance to govern the treatment of local authorities experiencing some form of financial pressure and/or distress.

While the first stages of the project tackle the economic and legal implications arising from a local authority becoming financially distressed, the overall aim of this network is to develop principled recommendations that account for the political and societal implications of the financial distress of a local authority on local, regional and national stakeholders.

Expressions of interest to join RPAFD should be sent to Dr Eugenio Vaccari at rpafdnetwork@gmail.com together with a CV and an explanation of your motivation.